The Benefits of a Community

The entire process and identity of "author" is changing.  Gone are the days of Dickinson, Kafka, and Lovecraft, writers who labored in obscurity, sequestered from the world other than a few close friends and relatives, and only recognized by the world post mortem because of pure luck, loyalty of a few devotees, and Fate.  Anyone in the 21st century who tries this is dooming themselves to the dustbin. It is easier than ever to become "published", but because of this there are more and more books and stories available to the public and therefore far more competition.  Writers can no longer be islands if they want to be authors.

 So what do we, the writers who wish to take the next step in this age of hybrid publishing, ebooks, and social media, need to do?  The key is community.  When I mentioned competition before, that might make us think that community might run counter to becoming a professional author.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  The difference is that the competition is not between the authors and for the opportunities, but between the communities and for the visibility.  This idea that authors need to compete with each other is a holdover from the 20th century, where big publishing houses, mass distribution, and (moment of silence) physical bookstores dominated.  Today is different.  Competition between authors is a meaningless concept when any reader who hears about some new hot author can pull a device out of their pocket, spend a measly three bucks, and be reading in 5 minutes.  Visibility is key, and groups are always more visible than individuals.  So if one author discovers another, they should embrace the newbie with open arms, because every new person increases the reach of the community.

I don't claim to be some sort of maven about all this.  I am the noob, the person still searching and creating his community.  What I have so far is small.  I have a few old dear friends, writers I have known for a decade or more, and a few new faces, people that I have connected with through the magic of social media.  But I recognize the need, the dynamic, the benefit of community.  Hopefully I can put it to good use.

JCS
2/8/15